Interest Rate Roundup for Nov. 11, 2010

Mortgages

Here's a look at the state of mortgage rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Nov. 10, 2010.

Mortgage rates ticked up slightly this week, but remained locked in the rock-bottom range of recent weeks.

The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 4.46 percent in Wednesday's weekly Bankrate survey, up 4 basis points from the previous week's 4.42 percent, which was an all-time low. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Other benchmark mortgages showed a similar pattern -- of slight increases but remaining at historically low levels. The 15-year fixed rate mortgage climbed 3 basis points to 3.84 percent. And the popular 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage rose 5 basis points to 3.62 percent. With a 5/1 ARM, the interest rate is fixed for the first five years and then adjusted annually for the remainder of the loan's term.

Despite the seemingly affordable mortgage rates, housing remains mired in a deep slump, however. According to a report released Wednesday by Zillow, a realty research firm, home values nationally were down 4.3 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period a year earlier. They declined 1.2 percent between the end of June and the end of September, the report added.

It marked the 17th consecutive quarterly decline, according to the Zillow report, and left U.S. home values 25 percent below their 2006 peak.

"Nationally, we don't expect home values to hit bottom until first half of 2011 at the earliest due to continuing increases in foreclosure volumes," the report concluded.

CDs

Here's a look at the state of CD rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Nov. 10, 2010.

Only slight changes were found in this week's CD rate survey.

The average one-year CD yield did not change from last week, and it remains 0.52 percent. The five-year yield is down 2 basis points to 1.53 percent.

For a deposit of about $100,000 or more, the typical one-year jumbo CD yield is unchanged from last week, at 0.57%. The five-year jumbo CD yield is down 3 basis points to 1.54%.

The average money market account yield is 0.19% for the 10th week in a row.

The FDIC has proposed a plan to charge larger banks more to insure their customer's deposits, Bloomberg.com reported on Tuesday. For banks with $10 billion or more in assets, assessment fees will go up as part of the Dodd-Frank Act. The goal is to charge banks to reflect their risk to the insurance fund.

Bankrate tracks failed banks and their cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund. That can be found here.

Auto Loans

6.43% (60-month, new car)

7.34% (36-month, used car)

Here's a look at the state of auto loan rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Nov. 10, 2010.

Auto loan rates mostly stayed glued to the all-time lows they set last week. New-car rates were unchanged, with the average rates for 60-month new-car loans and 48-month new-car loans staying at 6.43% and 6.45%, respectively. On the other hand, used-car rates ticked down 1 basis point, setting another all-time low in Bankrate's weekly survey. The benchmark 36-month used-car loan fell 1 basis point to 7.34%.

American automakers continue to show signs of strength, a reassuring sign for the millions of consumers who own those manufacturers' cars and will need parts and services years into the future. The reorganized General Motors netted $2 billion in the third quarter of 2010, and is close to an initial public offering, or IPO, that could pay back the federal government a large chunk of the cash it used to stabilize GM. Meanwhile, Ford's stock price is above $16 for the first time in 6 years, and the company is also showing strong profits.

The downside for consumers, however, is that much of this resurgence comes thanks to higher prices for domestic cars. The transaction prices paid for Buick Lacrosse models and Chevy Equinox models rose $7,500 and $3,900 over the second quarter of 2009, according to a report by Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

Credit Cards

Here's a look at the state of credit card rates from Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Nov. 10, 2010.

The average interest rate for purchases on fixed-rate credit cards remains unchanged at 13.76%. The mean variable rate is up 2 basis points this week at 14.53%, a new record high.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve Board rolled out a new online guide to credit reports and credit scores. Presented in FAQ format, the fact sheet explains the basics of credit reports and scores, hitting topics such as how long negative information can remain in your credit report and what causes credit scores to change.

The Credit Card Adviser column at Bankrate.com offers answers to other common questions about credit, such as how to improve your credit score.